Jeb Bush survives at CPAC
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Jeb Bush survived his Conservative Political Action Conference appearance here on Friday, holding his own on immigration and education in front of activists who see him as the GOP’s most moderate potential 2016 candidate.
On immigration, Bush, the former Florida governor, said the country “first and foremost” must secure its borders. Still, he also defended his record of supporting in-state tuition and driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Florida.
Bush maintained his support for the Common Core education standards reviled by some conservatives, but he also said the federal government shouldn’t be dictating education policy to the states.
“The role of the federal government, if there’s any, is to provide more incentive for school choice,” he said.
Bush argued forcefully against President Barack Obama’s foreign policy, accusing him of underestimating Russia, creating a void in the Middle East and failing to stand up for Israel. He called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming appearance on Capitol Hill, which Democrats have panned, as “very important.”
Bush’s tone, consistent with his recent appearances, was more muted than some of the other 2016 hopefuls appearing at the conference. But the governor seemed energized by the audience, segments of which booed and cheered alternately at his address. He received a standing ovation before and after his address, and a rumored walkout among conservative activists never fully materialized.
Bush touted his record as governor, intimating that he has delivered on the kinds of conservative reforms other potential candidates are advocating. And he didn’t back down from his comments that the Republican Party needs to produce a more affirmative and inclusive message.
“It’s good to oppose the bad things,” he said. “We need to start being for things.”
Though fellow Republicans bashed him on stage for days and the largely pro-Rand Paul crowd booed his name hours before he spoke, Bush appears likely to emerge from his appearance at CPAC largely unscathed.
He pivoted whenever possible to his economic message, suggesting that lowering taxes and creating a more pro-business environment would help jump-start growth in the country. Some of the strongest applause came when he discussed his record in Florida, which he said helped create low unemployment and high growth.
Bush’s appearance at CPAC was a treacherous one. Activists time and again have bristled at his support for Common Core and immigration reform, his friendship with Hillary Clinton and his family ties to two of the last four inhabitants of the White House. During his last appearance at CPAC in 2013, he delivered a widely-panned speech in which he said the Republican Party has failed to win national elections in part because it had not been inclusive enough — an address that felt out of place at the red-meat conference.
A Bush supporter sent around invites on Facebook for transportation escorting the former governor’s supporters from D.C.’s Dupont Circle out to National Harbor in time for his afternoon speech. Organizers were seen handing out red “Jeb! ‘16” stickers to several supporters who arrived just hours before Bush was set to speak.
Bush, who governed Florida from 1999-2007, has emerged as an establishment favorite largely due to his fundraising prowess and high name recognition.
But throughout the conference, both on the main stage and in interviews, Bush has received heavy criticism from his 2016 rivals and others.
When Hannity informally polled an audience in the ballroom earlier on Friday waiting to hear from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a resounding chorus of boos followed the mention of Bush’s name.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday labeled Bush as the favorite of D.C. insiders. “If the elites in Washington who make back-room deals decide who the president is going to be, [Bush] is the frontrunner,” he said.
Paul took shots at Bush in an interview with POLITICO before the conference, saying he is failing to connect with young voters over his position on surveillance and his “hypocrisy” on criminal justice and marijuana.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in his speech said the GOP should shun the “squishy moderate,” a line of argument he has often used to criticize Bush and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
Conservative commentator Laura Ingraham spent a large portion of her address earlier Friday criticizing Bush, suggesting he and Hillary Clinton should run on the same ticket.
Anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist talked at length to a group of reporters about Bush’s comments at a June 2012 House Budget Committee hearing that he would take a deal with $10 in spending cuts for $1 in tax increases, a deal all GOP candidates said they would turn down during the 2012 Republican primary and that goes against Norquist’s famous anti-tax pledge.
“In the middle of a life-and-death struggle between the Republicans in the House and Senate and Obama, he jumped into the middle of that and endorsed Obama’s position: Why don’t you guys raise some taxes as part of the deal? That was a problem for him. And by the way, nobody in the Republican Party listened to him,” said Norquist, who indicated he hadn’t spoken with Bush, who hasn’t signed the pledge, since the aftermath of his appearance before Congress.
Bush’s attendance at CPAC was not assured; he bombed there two years ago, and he’s skipped other conservative cattle calls thus far. And even though he leaves CPAC without major incident, Bush still has a long way to go to connect with conservatives who make up a key part of the GOP primary electorate.
David Bossie, president of Citizens United, told POLITICO that Bush made an “enormous mistake” in not attending the Iowa Freedom Summit his group co-hosted last month with conservative Rep. Steve King. Bush, he said, is in for “a very long, tough campaign” and that he would receive “no coronation” from Republican primary voters.
Asked if Bush was conservative enough for him or Citizens United, Bossie replied: “I don’t know.”
Bush defended his positions on immigration, education.
Jeb Bush survives at CPAC
On immigration, Bush, the former Florida governor, said the country “first and foremost” must secure its borders. Still, he also defended his record of supporting in-state tuition and driver’s licenses for undocumented immigrants in Florida.
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“The role of the federal government, if there’s any, is to provide more incentive for school choice,” he said.
Bush argued forcefully against President Barack Obama’s foreign policy, accusing him of underestimating Russia, creating a void in the Middle East and failing to stand up for Israel. He called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming appearance on Capitol Hill, which Democrats have panned, as “very important.”
Bush’s tone, consistent with his recent appearances, was more muted than some of the other 2016 hopefuls appearing at the conference. But the governor seemed energized by the audience, segments of which booed and cheered alternately at his address. He received a standing ovation before and after his address, and a rumored walkout among conservative activists never fully materialized.
Bush touted his record as governor, intimating that he has delivered on the kinds of conservative reforms other potential candidates are advocating. And he didn’t back down from his comments that the Republican Party needs to produce a more affirmative and inclusive message.
“It’s good to oppose the bad things,” he said. “We need to start being for things.”
Though fellow Republicans bashed him on stage for days and the largely pro-Rand Paul crowd booed his name hours before he spoke, Bush appears likely to emerge from his appearance at CPAC largely unscathed.
He pivoted whenever possible to his economic message, suggesting that lowering taxes and creating a more pro-business environment would help jump-start growth in the country. Some of the strongest applause came when he discussed his record in Florida, which he said helped create low unemployment and high growth.
Bush’s appearance at CPAC was a treacherous one. Activists time and again have bristled at his support for Common Core and immigration reform, his friendship with Hillary Clinton and his family ties to two of the last four inhabitants of the White House. During his last appearance at CPAC in 2013, he delivered a widely-panned speech in which he said the Republican Party has failed to win national elections in part because it had not been inclusive enough — an address that felt out of place at the red-meat conference.
A Bush supporter sent around invites on Facebook for transportation escorting the former governor’s supporters from D.C.’s Dupont Circle out to National Harbor in time for his afternoon speech. Organizers were seen handing out red “Jeb! ‘16” stickers to several supporters who arrived just hours before Bush was set to speak.
Bush, who governed Florida from 1999-2007, has emerged as an establishment favorite largely due to his fundraising prowess and high name recognition.
But throughout the conference, both on the main stage and in interviews, Bush has received heavy criticism from his 2016 rivals and others.
When Hannity informally polled an audience in the ballroom earlier on Friday waiting to hear from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a resounding chorus of boos followed the mention of Bush’s name.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday labeled Bush as the favorite of D.C. insiders. “If the elites in Washington who make back-room deals decide who the president is going to be, [Bush] is the frontrunner,” he said.
Paul took shots at Bush in an interview with POLITICO before the conference, saying he is failing to connect with young voters over his position on surveillance and his “hypocrisy” on criminal justice and marijuana.
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz in his speech said the GOP should shun the “squishy moderate,” a line of argument he has often used to criticize Bush and 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney.
Conservative commentator Laura Ingraham spent a large portion of her address earlier Friday criticizing Bush, suggesting he and Hillary Clinton should run on the same ticket.
Anti-tax advocate Grover Norquist talked at length to a group of reporters about Bush’s comments at a June 2012 House Budget Committee hearing that he would take a deal with $10 in spending cuts for $1 in tax increases, a deal all GOP candidates said they would turn down during the 2012 Republican primary and that goes against Norquist’s famous anti-tax pledge.
“In the middle of a life-and-death struggle between the Republicans in the House and Senate and Obama, he jumped into the middle of that and endorsed Obama’s position: Why don’t you guys raise some taxes as part of the deal? That was a problem for him. And by the way, nobody in the Republican Party listened to him,” said Norquist, who indicated he hadn’t spoken with Bush, who hasn’t signed the pledge, since the aftermath of his appearance before Congress.
Bush’s attendance at CPAC was not assured; he bombed there two years ago, and he’s skipped other conservative cattle calls thus far. And even though he leaves CPAC without major incident, Bush still has a long way to go to connect with conservatives who make up a key part of the GOP primary electorate.
David Bossie, president of Citizens United, told POLITICO that Bush made an “enormous mistake” in not attending the Iowa Freedom Summit his group co-hosted last month with conservative Rep. Steve King. Bush, he said, is in for “a very long, tough campaign” and that he would receive “no coronation” from Republican primary voters.
Asked if Bush was conservative enough for him or Citizens United, Bossie replied: “I don’t know.”
Bush defended his positions on immigration, education.
Jeb Bush survives at CPAC
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